Radio tuning keyboard with interlocking station and band keys with independently depressable band keys



Oct. 7, 1958 o. SCHMIDT 5 2,855,507

RADIO TUNING KEYBOARD WITH INTERLOCKING STATION AND BAND KEYS WITH INDEPENDENTLY DEPRESSABLE BAND KEYS Filed July '7, 1953 5 61-7 6 /10 rr/e/zs/fi/zs v uK'vv J K 1 4M B and De fzr'mina fion Mechanism- \.l Prese; fl Mccom'snz I Dev 1%:

-...f I I United States Patent RADIO TUNING KEYBOARD WITH INTERLOCK- ING STATION BAND KEYS WITH INDE- PENDENTLY DEPRESSABLE BAND KEYS OmmoSchmidt, Hildesheim, Germany, 'assignor a Blaupunkt-Werke Gesellschaft mit beschriinkter Haftung, Hildesheim, Germany Application July 7','1953,'seln1 No. 366,531

4 Claims. Cl. 250-40 station, while the other one is adapted to change the range of frequencies to be received, i. e. particularly the ranges of the long, medium and short waves as well as the ultra short waves(the L, M, K and UKW range), by means of special range switches or range push-buttons. It has also been suggested to use one and the same push-button for selecting at will stations belonging to diiferent ranges.

In many cases, however, it is desirable, to simplify the operation by actuating the range switch simultaneously with the operation of the station-selecting pushbutton, so that it is not necessary to operate two different members when a station lying in another range is selected.

According to the invention the station selectors and the range selectors are arranged in such a manner, that they can be adjusted at will either simultaneously or separately. For this purpose a number of keys or buttons for selecting a station are connected with a common range switch which has preferably also the form of a key or a button for simultaneous operation by mechanical or electrical means. It is f. i. possible to arrange a plurality of station selectors in the immediate vicinity of a range selector of larger dimensions .so that when one of the station selectors is operated also the range selector is actuated; it is however preferable that if desired a separate actuation of the range selector can be effected. When the range switch has been operated the station selectors of this range can also be actuated separately.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a key arrangement and Fig. 2 shows a push-button arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative arrangement of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 represents the key board of a radio set which may be arranged beneath the scale of the set. The set may have three wave ranges. A key 1, 2, 3 is provided for each wave range. Each of these keys has relatively large dimensions and may have letters written thereon for indicating the wave range, f. i. UKW for the ultra short waves, K for the short waves and M for the medium waves. Immediately above each of the keys 1, 2 and 3 there are four further keys 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 to 15. These keys operate tuning means for changing the frequency of the receiver circuits to the desired station. The stations which can be selected by means of the keys 4 to 7 are located in the ultra short wave range. The stations of the keys. 8 to 11 in the short wave range and the stations of the keys 12 to 15 in the medium wave range. If now one of the upper row of keys is pressed down the corresponding range key is simultaneously actuated and also pressed downwardly. It then the station key of another range is.

On the other hand it is also possible to operate only the'range key which extends f. i. somewhat beyond the station key, and then to adjust the'receiver in the manner by means ofatuning' knob.- e V 5 The arrangement of Fig. -2 uses row ofpush buttons instead of the keys. The station buttons 16 of this arrangement have extensions reaching over the range buttons 17 and 18 so that the range button is operated when one of the station buttons is pressed. The range button can however also be operated separately without one of the station buttons being pressed.

The invention is also applicable to television receivers. In the television range the arrangement is made preferably in such a manner, that the number of pushbuttons corresponds to the number of television chans nels. In this case it is not necessary to provide a separate adjusting device for the television range, because most of the television sets have either an adjustment for the various channels by means of push-buttons or by means of a continuously variable knob. On the other hand it also is possible in the television range to provide only a small number f. i. three keys which are set once for all at the locality of the receiver to those frequencies which are received best in the respective locality. If then the television range key is pressed it is possible to select the station by pressing one of the keys set to the television stations.

In case the set shall receive television stations transmitting in widely differing ranges, f. i. in the 40 megacycle and the 200 megacycle ranges, it is advantageous to provide separate range keys also for these television ranges.

The station and range selectors may also be electrically coupled. This may be accomplished f. i. by arranging a switch in such a manner that it is closed when one of the station keys is operated, this switch effecting the change of the range.

The station keys or buttons 16 may also be provided with movable extensions 19 (Fig. 3) for actuating the range keys or buttons. These extensions can be set to two positions, so that the range switch is either operated or not operated simultaneously with the station key. These extensions may f. i. consist of pins 19 arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the key and movable back and forth within the key, so that they protrude in one position to one side and in the other position to the other side of the key.

I claim:

1; A key arrangement for radio and television receivers comprising a plurality of small keys for selecting pre-set frequencies, at least two large keys for selecting a predetermined frequency range, said plurality of small keys being disposed immediately above said large keys and masking each of them partially, thereby allowing simultaneous actuation of one small and one large key by actuating one small key, said large key being adapted to be separately and directly actuated.

2. A push button arrangement for radio and television receivers comprising a plurality of small push buttons for selecting pre-set frequencies, at least two large push buttons for selecting a predetermined frequency range, said plurality of small push buttons being disposed immediately before said large push buttons and masking each of them partially, thereby allowing simultaneous actuation of one small and one large push button by actuating one small push button, said large push button being adapted to be separately and directly actuated.

usual i 3 t 3. A push button arrangement for radio and television receivers comprising a plurality of small push buttons for selecting pre-set frequencies, at least two large push buttons for selecting, a predetermined, frequency range angliarranged adjacent to the plurality of push buttons, lateralextensions being provided on said, srnall push 4999 nd x e z v a pa o h la e P sh u tons for simultaneous operation of one of sa id plurality ofpushbuttons and one large push button, thereby allowiag sin' ultaneousactuation of one small and one large pushvbutton by actuating one small push button, said large push button being separately and directly actuable.

4. Apush-buttonarrangement as-in claim;3 in which a 4; said lateral extensionsv are retractable to bring the small push buttons out of engagement with the associated large push button.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,232,217 Dijksterhuis et a1. Feb. 18; 1941 2,251,068 Rinia July 29, 1941 2,356,935 Koch Aug. 29, 1944 2,469,189 Williams May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 273,655 Germany May 5, 1914 

